ot seem very clear; but the idea was in Josh
Helston's not over clear head that it might be so, and the fact was that
it took all his powers of brain to originate the idea of going down to
help his companion--he had not got so far as the question of how they
were to get out. Even if he had thought of it, there was the rope, and
he would have said, "If you can climb down you can climb up."

Down lower and lower, with the water dripping upon him here, spurting
out from between two blocks of granite there; but Josh's mind was fixed
upon one thing only, and that was to reach the spot where Will was
waiting to be helped.

For some distance he descended in silence. Then he began to shout:

"Coming down," he said. "Look out!"

Will started and stared towards the mouth of the gallery, but he did not
answer. He could not utter a word.

"Coming down!" shouted Josh again at the end of a few seconds. "Where
are you, lad?"

There was no response for a few moments, and then, hoarse and strange
from many feet below, came up the word:

"Here!"

"Right!" shouted back Josh quietly enough; "and that's where I'll be
soon. I wish I had one o' the boat's lanterns here all the same."

The rope slipped slowly through his hands, checked as it was by the
twist round his right leg, and he dropped lower and lower, turning
gently round the while.

"Now, then! Where?" he shouted again.

"Here!" was the answer from close below now; and Josh took one look
upwards, to see that the square mouth of the shaft seemed very small.

"I'm 'bout with you now, my lad," he said as he still glided down.
"Now, where are you?"

"Here!" came from below him: and he tightened his grasp, while the rope
slowly turned till his face was opposite to the mouth of the shaft.

"Right, lad!" he cried, striking his feet against the side of the shaft.
"I can't see very well," he added as he swung to and fro more and more,
"but I'm 'bout doing it, ain't I?"

"Yes--I think so," faltered Will. "Take care."

"Sha'n't let go o' the rope, lad," said Josh, striking his feet again on
the shaft-wall, and giving himself such impetus that they rested, as he
swung across, on the floor of the gallery, into which he was projected a
foot; but the rope, of course, caught on the roof of the place, and he
was jerked back and swept over to the opposite wall.

The next time he approached the gallery backwards, and his feet barely
touched; but he swung round again, gave h